Folder support for sewing machines



March 15, 1932. c. GUNNERSON 1,849,757

FOLDER SUPPORT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 31, 1926 2 SheetsSheet l March 15, 1932. c. GUNNERSON' 1,849,751

FOLDER SUPPORT FOR SEWING MACHINES FiledJVlarch 31, 19 26 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNHTED STATES CARL GUNNERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

COIvIPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

AS$IGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FOLDER SUPPORT FOR SEWING MACHINES Application filed March 31, 1926. Serial No. 98,899.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in folders for sewing machines, and more particularly to the means for supporting the folder and for directing the strip to be folded into the folder.

An object of the invention is to provide a supporting means for a folder for guiding and infolding the edge portions of a strip, which supporting means is so constructed that it may be attached to the work support of a sewing machine at either side of the line of feed, while still maintaining the same relation between the folder and the stitching mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting means for a folder of the above type, wherein said folder is capable of adjustment both laterally of the line of feed, and longitudinally thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a folder of the above type, wherein the folder is capable of being tilted so as to raise and lower the forward end thereof.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved folder support and a portion of a sewing machine with said support attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved folder support also showing the reinforcing strip guide, and in dotted lines, the support for the folder and the leading-in guide for the facing strip as reversed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the support for the folder;

Fig. 4: is a plan view of a folder with a slightly modified form of support attached thereto; said folder being especially adapted for guiding and inturning the facing strip adapted to be used in connection with a plait;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the modified form of support;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the support for leading in a facing strip detached from the folder;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a view of the delivery end of the folder for the facing strip.

The invention is directed to a folder support, and more particularly for folders for guiding and infolding the side edges of a strip. In one form of the invention illustrated, the strip which is guided and infolded, forms a plait, while in another form of the invention, the strip which is guided and infolded, forms a facing strip for a plait or the under side of a fabric. In other words, in one instance, the edges are turned over on to the upper face of the strip, while in the other instance, they are turned underneath the body portion of the strip. These folders are often used in conjunction with each other for forming a plait and facing the under side of the plait. In either case, the supports for the folders may be attached to the work support of the machine at either side of the line of feed, and this is accomplished by a reversing or inverting of the folder support. The support for the folder which forms the plait is provided with a base which is slotted so that it may be attached to the work support, and when attached to the work support, can be adjusted towardand from the needles of the stitching mechanism. This base is provided with an upwardly projecting arm or rod which is bent at right angles. The folder itself is provided with a sleeve rigidly attached thereto and extending transversely of the center line of the folder. This rod passes through the sleeve and serves as a means for supporting the folder so that the folder may be shi' ted laterally or tilted on the supporting rod for raising and lowering the front end of the folder. This support may be attached to the work support of the machine at either side of the line of feed, and this is accomplished by merely reversing.

In the other form of the support for the folder which is especially adapted for infold ing the side portions of the facing strip, the support is in the form of a flat plate wit-h slots through which screws may be passed for attaching the support to the work support of the machine, and which permits the folder to be adjusted toward and from the needles. The folder is provided with laterally projecting portions which are slotted and screws passing through these slots, secure the folder directly to the support therefor. This support may be attached to the work support of the machine at either side of the line of feed by the inverting of the same. Associated with one form of folder is a receiving guide for the strip to be folded, and this receiving guide is adapted to receive the strip led to the folder in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the folder, and the guide is capable of being inverted so that the strip which is to be folded may be received from either side of the folder.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, my improved folder for guiding and inturning the edge portions of a strip to form a plait, consists of a body portion 1 into which a strip is led in a fiat condition, and the side portions 2 of this folder are so shaped as to inturn the edge portions of the strip before the strip leaves the delivery end of the folder. The folder is provided on its outer face with a slot 3 through which a strip may be reached to aid in the initial insertion of the strip in the folder. The strip to be folded passes over a flat support 4 having edge guides 5, 5 at the sides thereof, and enters the receiving end 6 of the folder. The folded strip passes out of the delivery end 7 and is guided and held in proper position for stitching by the projecting portion 8 of the folder. After leaving the folder, the strip passes beneath the presser foot 9 and is stitched by the ordinary stitching mechanism which preferably includes two needles 10, 10 so that two independent lines of stitching are formed passing through the respective infolded portions of this strip. In the forming of a plait, it is often desirable to use a reinforcing strip. Such reinforcing strip is led through the folder in such a way that the infolded portions of the strip are laid underneath the reinforcing strip and are secured thereto by the lines of stitching. This reinforcing strip is led to the folder in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof by means of a guiding bracket 11 provided with a slot 12, and a guiding edge 18 arranged at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axis of the folder, so that this reinforcing strip can be inverted and the direction of move ment thereof changed so that itwill p ass into the folder. This bracket 11 is capable of being reversed so as to be secured to the folder at either side thereof, and thus it is that the strip may be received from either side of the folder.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, the guiding bracket 11 is shown at the right of the folder and the strip, of course, will be led in from the right. It is also shown in this figure in dotted lines at the left of the folder, in which case, of course, the strip will be led in from the left.

This folder for forming a plait is provided with a sleeve 14 which is formed rigid with the body of the folder 1, and on the upper side thereof. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the folder is mounted on a support consisting of a base 15 provided with slots 16, 16 through which screws 17 may be passed for securing the support to the cloth plate 18 of the sewing machine. The slots 16 are so po' sitioned that the folder can be adjusted toward and from the needles 10, 10. Mounted on this base 15 is a post 19 having an arm 20. This arm is adapted to be inserted in the sleeve 14-, and the sleeve is clamped to the arm by set screws 21, 21. By loosening these screws 21, 21, the folder can be shifted laterally on the supporting arm 20, or the folder tilted on the arm so as to raise and lower the front end thereof. It will be apparent from Fig. 2 of the drawings that this support for the folder may be attached to the work support or cloth plate 18 at either side of the line of feed, and this is accomplished by re versing of the support. The support is shown in full lines at the right of the folder and in dotted lines at the left of the folder, while, of course, the line of feed is centrally and lon itudinally of the folder.

The folder as shown in Fig. l is of the same general character as the folder 11 above referred to, except that the folder in Fig. 4: has the edge portions 23, 23 turned up over the body portion of the folder so that the strip passing through this folder has the edge portions folded. over on to the upper face of the strip. The strip is led in fiat through a slot 24: at the receiving end of the folder and passes out through the delivery end 25 of the folder to the needles. A longitudinal slot 26 in the body portion of the folder for the purpose of engaging the material for initially inserting it in the folder. This folder is mounted on a support 27. The support 27 consists of a flat piece of metal haw ing slots 28, 28 through which screws are passed for securing the support to the cloth lat of the machine, and these slots provide a means whereby the folder may be adjusted toward and from the needles. liigidly attached to the body portion of the folder 252 are laterally projecting members 29, 29. Each member is provided with a slot 30. Screws 31 are adapted to be passed through these slots 30, and threaded into the openings 32 in the support 27, and thus it is that the folder is secured to the support. Thrse slots provide a means whereby the folder may be adjusted laterally of its longitudinal as s. It will readily be seen from Fr) -1iof the drawings that the support may be positioned as shown in full lines at the right of the folder, or positioned as shown in dotted lines at 27* at the left of the folder. This is accomplished by the inverting of the support.

The strip which passes into the folder is directed thereto by a guiding bracket 33 which is provided with a slot 34 through which the strip passes. This guiding bracket is also provided with a guiding edge 35 which is arranged at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axis of the folder. The strip passes down through the slot 34 underneath the bracket 33, and then up over the edge portion 35 and along the upper face of the bracket and into the receiving end 24 of the folder. This forty-five degree edge 35 is formed by bending the metal into a bead 36, (see Fig. 7) and this makes a well rounded edge over which. the strip is turned when the strip is inverted. The bracket 33 is secured to the folder by screws 37, 37 which pass through openings 38, 38 in the bracket and are threaded into the body portion of the folder. By removing these screws, the bracket 33 can be inverted and positioned as indicated in dotted lines at 33 in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This provides for setting the bracket so that the facing strip may be received from either side of the folder.

It will be understood that my improved supporting means for the folder may be used in other types of folders, and the essential feature of the support is that the folder when mounted thereon may be adjusted laterally or bodily toward and from the stitching mechanism, and that the support may be attached at either side of the line of feed to the cloth plate of the machine. In the shifting of the support from one side of the line of feed to the other, no adjustments are necessary other than the inverting or reversing of the support, and when attached to either side of the line of feed, the folder can be placed in the same position relative to the stitching mechanism. In the form of support shown in Figures 1 to 4, the folder can also be tilted for raising and lowering the de livery end thereof, which is very essential when the folder is used over the fabric being stitched for guiding and infolding the strip to form a plait.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is

1. A folder for sewing machines comprising a body portion, a support for said body portion including a base having longitudinal slots formed therein through which said support is adapted to be attached to the work support of the machine and adjusted in a direction transversely of the work support, means for mounting said body portion on said support including a sleeve and an arm adapted to be inserted in said sleeve from either end thereof, means for securing the arm'in the sleeve, said arm and sleeve being disposed in a plane extending substantially at right angles to the body portion of the folder and attached to said body portion and support for supporting said folder.

2. A folder for sewing machines comprising a body portion, a support for said body portion including a base having elongated slots formed therein through which the support is adapted to be attached to the work support of the machine and adjusted in a direction transversely of said support, a post carried by said base and having a horizontally projecting arm extending in a direction at right angles to the elongated slots, said body portion of the folder having a sleeve formed thereon adapted to receive said arm from either end thereof, and means for clamping said sleeve to said arm.

3. A folder for sewing machines comprising a body portion, a support for said body portion adapted to be attached to the work support of the machine at either side of the longitudinal axis of the folder, means for mounting said folder on said support, and a bracket for directing a strip into said folder, said bracket having a laterally extending portion, said laterally extending portion being provided with guiding means for the strip, and means for attaching said bracket to said folder, said attaching means being constructed and arranged to permit the laterally extending portion of said bracket to be placed at either side of the longitudinal axis of the folder.

4. A folder for sewing machines comprising a body portion, a support for said body portion adapted to support of the machine at either side of the longitudinal axis of the folder, means for mounting said folder on said support, and a bracket for directing a strip into said folder, said bracket having a laterally extending portion, said laterally extending portion being provided with guiding means for the strip, and means for attaching said bracket to said folder, said attaching means being constructed and arranged to permit the laterally extending portion of said bracket to be placed at either side of the longitudinal axis of the folder, said bracket being also provided with an edge portion over which the strip is inverted, said edge portion being disposed at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axis of the folder, the metal forming the edge portion of the bracket over which the strip is folded being rolled so as to form a hollow bead.

5. In a sewing machine, a folder, a work support, a support adapted to be attached to sai work support, means for connecting said folder to said support, said connecting means be attached to the work being so constructed that said support may be disposed at either side of said folder, as desired, and attached to the folder for supporting the same without shifting the operating position of the folder.

6. In a sewing machine, a folder, a work support, a support adapted to be attached to said work support, means for connecting said folder to said support, said connecting means being so constructed that said support may be disposed at either side of said folder, as desired, and attached to the folder for supporting the same, said connecting devices including means whereby the folder may be adjusted laterally of the longitudinal axis of the folder and in a direction parallel with said longitudinal axis, and whereby said folder may be tilted so as to raise or lower the delivery end of the folder relative to the work support without shifting the operating position of the folder.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

CARL GUNNER-SON. 

